Credit Brian Sweeney
The Martial Arts release ‘Getting Stranger By The Month’ EP
Out Wednesday 24 August via Where It’s At Is Where You Are (WIAIWYA)
The Martial Arts are releasing their new EP ‘Getting Stranger By The Month’, which contains the singles ‘Bethany’, ‘Getting Stranger’ and ‘Guilt By Association’. The EP follows up ‘I Used To Be The Martial Arts’, and the critically-acclaimed debut album ‘Your Sinclair’, described by The Skinny as “Jaw on floor, dancing boots in turbo, absolutely marvellous”.
The limited 10” vinyl edition is available exclusively from the WIAIWYA Bandcamp.
The Martial Arts is Paul Kelly, who for over 15 years has been a mainstay of the Scottish music scene. He has been a full-time member of Scottish legends BMX Bandits since the release of their 2017 album, BMX Bandits Forever, and is a long-time collaborator and bandmate of the SAY Award-nominated artist Carla J Easton (The Vaselines / Poster Paints / TeenCanteen). He has performed with Raveloe, TeenCanteen, The Primary 5, Dr. Cosmo’s Tape Lab, How to Swim and The Hector Collectors, at festivals including Kendal Calling, Paris PopFest, Electric Fields, Doune The Rabbit Hole and The Charlatans’ North By Northwich, with live sessions for the likes of Marc Riley (BBC 6Music) and Vic Galloway (BBC Scotland).
The Martial Arts have supported Darren Hayman (Hefner), Letitia Sadier (Stereolab), Andy Rourke (The Smiths) The Wave Pictures and Scout Niblet.
Track-Listing
- Guilt By Association
- Bethany
- Getting Stranger
- Nicechap
- The Wild Humdrum
Guilt By Association
A musically upbeat song of unrest and deep frustration. In the studio we tried to offset it’s E.L.O.-esque melody by giving it a ‘Low’-era Bowie makeover, including harmonized snare drums to mess with the fabric of time. Many tracks of vocoder were deployed to attempt future ‘Mr. Blue Sky’-esque ubiquity.
Bethany
Written during a break from vacuuming the hallway while listening to Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. Musically, an attempt to hear how the power pop stylings of Phil Seymour would blend with the gothic synthpop of John Maus, the result of course being The Future Of Music.
Getting Stranger
A reflection on the relief of distance from the days of being a clueless twentysomething. Laura Hickli sent her incredible vocals over from Calgary. Sean Biggerstaff (AKA Harry Potter’s Oliver Wood, the actual Quidditch captain), played fantastic synth-guitar under the last chorus.
Nicechap
How do you form a choir during a pandemic? The Nicechappettes are the first ever socially-distanced vocal combo boasting members based in Scotland, Canada and Portugal. Calum, Gus, Chris, Laura, Gregor and Carla J Easton all remotely ensembled to provide the required injection of soul.
The Wild Humdrum
‘The Wild Humdrum’ loosely translated means ‘having no fun, but there’s never a dull moment’.
Live Dates
11th September – ‘Some Kind Of Show’, Stereo, Glasgow
“If the UK want to clean up at next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, the clever money’s on The Martial Arts reaching out across seas to unite nations in a harmonic whole.”
– Did Not Chart blog
“Deliciously entertaining, electric songs that have you engaged, gushing, dancing along and craving for even more once the party is over.” – Small Music Scene blog
